Daily Devotion in John 2

Daily Nugget:

At the beginning of Jesus’ three-and-a-half-year ministry, we see that He was not the tolerant-to-sin, peaceful man whom many make Him out to be. We see that Jesus (John 2:14-16) saw something wrong, dealt with it in public, was angry about it, and did not tolerate what was done.

Jesus saw that men were trying to make a profit out of the way Jews worshiped God. The Jews were to give sacrifices to the priests to cover the sins they and their families had committed. The sacrifices given were to be from their best flock. It was something they had to put some effort into and constantly keep God in their minds while they raised the animals for sacrifice. 

Men took advantage of the Jew’s lazy streak. They sold the worshippers the sacrifices so that the temple goers did not have to raise them themselves. Worshiping was becoming comfortable and meaningless to some. Soon, the back of the temple was teeming with salesmen, their animal wares, and barnyard sounds from their livestock. The temple was losing the holy respect it deserved.

God’s house was becoming a place of business and a house of thieves. Jesus was angered by what had happened to His Father’s house. He made a whip out of some ropes, chased out the moneychangers, and overturned their tables. He was angry, but without sinning (Eph. 4:26).

This event occurred in Capernaum. Years later, Jesus did a similar thing to the moneychangers in the temple at Jerusalem (Matt. 21:12, Mark 11:15). We see that Jesus was consistently disturbed and angered over how the worship of God had been cheapened and how the house of God had become a moneymaking opportunity for some.

Jesus was not tolerant of this sin or others. He stood up and did not tolerate wrongdoing and improper behavior. Compromise was not on His agenda, either.

We need to emulate our Saviour’s behavior in this area also. The Bible does not promote toleration of sin. We have so many today that will not speak up against wrong-doing. They say nothing about what they have witnessed. Because of the lack of standing for righteousness, iniquity is not opposed; it abounds. Our responsibility is to stand against evil. If we do not, who will?

Today’s Thought: 
“All that is needed for evil to win is for good people to do nothing!” — Author Unknown

Words to Understand:
Firkins: eight or nine gallons, depending what is stored.
Manifested: shown; appearance
Scourge: a whip

Today’s Reading:
John 2
1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
12 ¶ After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
23 ¶ Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.